Two-year wait ends as new Abilene recreation centers open to the public
The Sears Recreation Center and Library opened to the public Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by David Pittman, vice chair of the Abilene Parks and Recreation Committee. Just an hour before, the G.V. Daniels Recreation Center and Branch Library had its grand opening. The renovations of both centers were made possible through a $28…
Read MoreLibertarians meet in Abilene to nominate candidates for November ballot
This weekend, Libertarian delegates, party members and candidates from across Texas gathered at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Abilene to select nominees for major statewide races, along with down-ballot races and party leadership positions. The Libertarian Party nominates its political candidates through a convention process every two years rather than through a primary election. Elizabeth…
Read MoreFree breast exams reach underserved West Texas communities
The Access to Breast Health for Texans program provides free breast exams to anyone who is 18 or older. They use a Bexa medical device that is about the size of a computer mouse and delivers accurate, painless and radiation-free exams. Through a partnership with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, nearly 3,000 women in…
Read MoreNew nursing pathways at Cisco College aim to ease workforce shortage
By Baylie Simon/West Texas Tribune According to the Texas Hospital Association, it’s projected that by 2032, demand for full-time registered nurses in Texas will outpace the supply by more than 57,000 positions. In an effort to graduate more nurses in the Abilene area, Cisco College and Abilene ISD have created a pathway for high school…
Read MoreShawnte Fleming: ‘Until Abilene becomes better for everybody, it is no good for anybody.’
By Baylie Simon | West Texas Tribune Shawnte Fleming, founder of Let Us Breathe, was born and raised in Abilene and has never moved away. “I have chosen Abilene as my hometown, so instead of complaining about what we don’t have and what is not here, I have dedicated my life and my time to…
Read MoreKairos Prison Ministry restores lives on both sides of prison gates
By Baylie Simon/West Texas Tribune The volunteers of Kairos Prison Ministry believe that God’s love can bring light to even the darkest of places and circumstances. In Abilene, the warden of the French Robertson Prison Unit selects 42 men she thinks would most benefit from the Kairos Inside program. Some inmates wait years to…
Read MoreHundreds gather for No Kings rally at Abilene City Hall
On Saturday afternoon, around 300 people gathered for a No Kings Rally at Abilene City Hall to criticize President Donald Trump and the decisions made under his administration. The No Kings rally in Abilene was one of around 3,000 gatherings planned across the country and globe. Abilene organizers said there was a larger turnout this…
Read MoreDraft bill seeks to reveal government officials’ Epstein ties
On Sunday, Feb. 22, Defend Democracy Abilene gathered with community members at Oscar Rose Park Amphitheater to demand that action be taken against government officials suspected of being connected to sex trafficking crimes involving Jeffrey Epstein. One of the event organizers, Riley Rodriquez, is running for Texas Senate District 28. Rodriquez said when it…
Read MoreWhere uninsured West Texans can find affordable care
By Baylie Simon/West Texas Tribune When someone waits too long to seek medical treatment, a problem that was initially manageable can develop into a serious and expensive emergency, said Brady Harwell, executive director of the Presbyterian Medical Care Mission. This is the reality for thousands of uninsured individuals in Texas who put off seeking health…
Read MoreLow-income residents at risk as Abilene housing tightens
By Baylie Simon/West Texas Tribune There was a shortage of over 5,600 Abilene housing units in April 2023, according to an affordable housing report done by Padsplit. Since then, around 6,000 workers have moved to Abilene to construct the Stargate data center, further inflating the housing market. Gene Reed, chief executive officer of the…
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